Neither does he blame his treasurer for the timing of the book, saying once these projects are under way it is very much in the hands of the author.

Asked whether he tried to stop the book, Mr Abbott said: "I'm not normally in the business of trying to tell my people to hide their lights under bushels."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Hockey should stick to his day job.

He said being treasurer is a full-time job, but obviously Mr Hockey sees it as part-time work and selling his biography is also a priority.

Mr Shorten said Mr Hockey has had a dreadful few months, coming up with a budget that no one likes and his own colleagues are clearly concerned about his judgment.

"I think the lesson here is when you are treasurer of Australia just stick to your day job and leave the literary flights of fancy to people who are not as busy as you," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne.